The future of a peace deal agreed between the Colombian Government and leftist guerilla group FARC – aimed at ending 52 years of conflict – remains up in the air after the Colombian people voted against the agreement in a national referendum.
The BBC reports that the ‘no’ vote narrowly won the referendum, claiming 50.24 per cent of the vote.
President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez last week formally signed the peace deal in the culmination of years of negotiations but it has to be ratified by Colombians in order to come into force.
President Santos said after the referendum that while he accepted the result, he wouldn’t give up but would continue the “search for peace”. The FARC leader, who is known as Timochenko, said the group remained committed to ending the war.
Critics have said the agreement let off the rebel group too lightly.
